How To Make Red Robin Campfire Sauce

January 22, 2017

Ever had that urge to ask the waiter where they sell these exclusive-looking sauces when you eat out? Or have you ever wanted just to bring back that bottle that you almost emptied while eating your fries?

Truthfully, there are just some restaurants that have these great sauces. Sometimes, it’s not just a condiment but rather the star of the night. The best sauces out there can make an ordinary steak feel like it’s served in a Michelin-star restaurant.

​Red Robin’s is a good example for this. Their campfire sauce is probably one of the best dips out there for your onion rings and potato wedges. There’s a creamy texture to it that works well with breaded finger food.

Although it’s exclusively served in Red Robin’s there’s a lot of recipes where you can make a copy of this sauce. The only thing that matters is finding the right ingredients in making it.

With that said, this article will teach you how to make Red Robin campfire sauce at the comforts of your home.

What You Will Need in Making The Sauce​

​Making Red Robin’s Campfire sauce is easy and straightforward. You won’t need any specific tools or kitchen appliances. All you need are other sauces that you will use for mixing.

The Red Robin campfire sauce uses both smoky and creamy flavors. This is done by incorporating different condiments like mayonnaise and barbecue sauce.

The barbecue sauce gives it the smoky flavor while adding a little sweetness. On the other hand, mayonnaise gives it that tangy kick that neutralizes the barbecue sauce.

This combination is what makes the red robin campfire sauce so addicting!

You should understand that this recipe does not correctly copy the contents of the campfire Sauce in Red Robin’s. Because of this, you can always add extra spices and seasonings to suit your tastes.

Other ingredients work well here. Ranch dressings and spices like paprika and chipotle are suitable additives if you’re not pleased with your sauce. It’s also a cheap and easy way to bring that condiment fusion to the next level.

In the next section, we listed several combinations that you can try. But first, here are all the ingredients that you will need:

​These ingredients mentioned above are the necessary ingredients that you’ll need. However, you can substitute them if it doesn’t suit your palate. Just remember, the base of this sauce heavily relies on the barbecue and mayonnaise.

Among many reviewers, the products we listed above are the best brands that give you the closest results.

Steps To Follow​

Step 1: The Barbecue Sauce and The Mayo​

First, just simply get a nice medium-sized mixing bowl and a fork or whisk. The first two products that you’ll need are the Sweet Baby Ray’s Variety Pack and the Best Foods Mayonnaise.

​Next, add ½ cup of Sweet Baby Rays and another ½ cup of Best Foods Mayonnaise.

The reason why we picked these two brands is that you get the closest flavor upon mixing the two together.

The best option to take the three bottles in the variety pack is the hickory and brown sugar. This gives that smoky and sweet flavor that’s present in the Red Robin’s Campfire sauce.

We also chose the Best Foods Mayonnaise thanks to its creamy taste that doesn’t give an unwanted sour flavor. There’s a right blend of fresh egg yolks and oil in Best Foods that makes it a great neutralizer for the sauce.

This can probably be attributed to the mayonnaise’ cage-free eggs and responsibly sourced oils that are of high-quality.

Note: If ever the Sweet Baby Rays is not available, you can opt to buy the Heinz Sweet Smoky Barbecue sauce instead. It gives the similar taste although it lacks quite a bit in the sweetness category.​

​Step 2: Adding Some Spice to Your Dressing

For added spice, add one tablespoon of paprika and one tablespoon of cayenne powder. If you’re a big fan of peppery flavors, then adding chipotle powder works well with the cayenne and paprika too.

​Some people might not be contented with just two ingredients alone. There’s just something lacking in flavor if you rely too much on premade ingredients.

Hence, we give you an option here to be more creative in copying the Red Robin’s Campfire sauce.

One of the best ingredients you can add to take your sauce to a different level is the good old paprika. This depends on you if you want a stronger touch of smokiness to the campfire sauce.

Adding paprika adds a new dimension of flavor to the sauce. Although it’s a smoky ingredient like the one present in the Sweet Baby Rays, it’s still a different blend.

Another great ingredient to add is chipotle and cayenne powder. Both these two are fiery powders that spice up your sauce. If you’re not a big fan of the smooth taste of mayonnaise, then these are great to add for an additional kick.

Remember, it’s Red Robin debate when it comes to the content of their campfire sauce. We can never tell if there’s chipotle or paprika in it, but if you’re a fan of the result with these spices involved, then consider it a great success.

Alternative Step: Did Someone Say Ranch?​

Not yet contented? Do you feel like it’s not Red Robin’s Campfire sauce yet? Here’s a second alternative that might peak your interest.

Mayonnaise can be a tricky ingredient to use. There’s a great debate among food lovers whether mayonnaise is gross or if it’s delicious.

Since we don’t know the original ingredients of Red Robin, you can’t tell if a cup or ½ a cup of mayonnaise is ideal for all.

With that said, it’s a rule of thumb that mayonnaise is present in the sauce. However, if you’re looking to reduce the amount used, adding ranch can be a great option.

In this alternative, you only add ½ cup of the Sweet Baby Rays Hickory barbecue sauce and another half of ranch dressing. Next, just add a tablespoon or two of mayonnaise, and you’re all set.

Adding a ranch gives you a smoother flavor for your palate. It also gives more of variety for your taste buds so you wouldn’t get that mayo taste as much.

Of course, the spices can be added in this alternative too.​

To Wrap It Up​

​It can be stressful to food lovers and fans of Red Robin to get such limited to no access of its famous campfire sauce. However, it’s a simple mixture that has readily available ingredients in your local supermarket.

Technically, the sauce is still a mystery. However, your taste buds don’t betray you. Once you’ve tasted that campfire sauce along with your onion rings or fries, it’ll stick like muscle memory.

Once you’ve tried those two easy ways to copy it, it’s all up to your palate to decide which is the best.

Is just mayo and barbecue? Or does it have ranch? Is it with the Sweet Baby Rays or the Heinz? Maybe there’s a better mayo to use other than the Best Foods? Do I like it with spices like chipotle and cayenne?

At the end of the day, mimicking that delicious campfire sauce of Red Robin’s is a fun way to boost your creativeness in whipping great sauces for your grub. Who knows, maybe you might make an even better sauce than the original!

Hi buddy! I’m Louise. As a lover of the outdoors, crafting a blog about traveling and adventure is a bit of a stretch for me. I truly love to be outside, so getting in front of the computer takes me away from my passion. But, it’s important for me to share what I love so others can get out and appreciate the outdoors, too.

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